Plane Struck By Lightning On Approach To Oakland International Airport
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- A flight arriving in Oakland Monday afternoon was struck by lightning in its approach to the Bay Area, but was undamaged and no one onboard was injured, an airline spokeswoman said.
Alaska Airlines Flight 2580 operated by Horizon was approaching Oakland International Airport from Portland, Ore., for a 12:45 p.m. landing when the crew saw a bright flash of light, Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said.
There was also light turbulence, but it was so mild that the passengers most likely did not notice, Egan said.
The plane was close to its destination in Oakland and the pilot continued flying and safely landed the aircraft, Egan said.
No passengers or crew were injured.
As a safety precaution, the plane was taken out of service for a full inspection to determine if any repairs are needed and whether it is safe to fly, Egan said.
As a result, a flight had to be canceled and the airline is working to make sure passengers booked for that flight are placed on later flights out of the Bay Area Monday evening, Egan said.
However, the plane was likely not damaged.
"Our planes are designed to dissipate the electric charge of a lightning bolt without any damage to the aircraft systems," Egan said.
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